Alabama’s FOCUS Act in effect: Statewide law aims to curb classroom distractions

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At Homewood High, something about the rhythm of the day feels different. The hallways are a little quieter, the chatter sounds more focused and teachers say there’s less tug-of-war for students’ attention.

“It has absolutely made me focus more in the classroom,” said ninth grader Catherine Schoenner, reflecting on the first months of Alabama’s new FOCUS Act, which bans phones, earbuds and smartwatches during the school day.

Signed into law in May, the Freeing Our Classrooms of Unnecessary Screens for Safety Act applies to all Alabama public schools. Effective beginning with the 2025-26 school year, the law is designed to reduce distractions and help students refocus on in-person learning. While some students and parents were unsure how it would play out, many now describe classrooms that are calmer, more interactive and more focused.

WHAT THE ACT REQUIRES

The law prohibits the use, display or operation of wireless communication devices during the school day, except in emergencies, accommodations or teacher-directed instruction. School systems must also teach internet safety and implement technology use policies for school-issued devices.

Homewood City Schools already had a longstanding technology agreement, signed by parents and students during registration. The Homewood Safe and Healthy Schools Association also offers educational tools to help families promote healthy screen habits.

Classroom distraction was a driving concern behind the law. In a 2024 Pew Research survey, 72% of U.S. high school teachers said cellphone use was a major problem in their classrooms. Academic research has echoed those concerns — a Rutgers University study found that students in device-friendly classrooms scored an average of 5% lower on final exams than students in phone-free classes. Supporters believe limiting phone use will improve engagement and outcomes, though some experts caution that device bans alone aren’t a cure-all.

STUDENTS SAY ENGAGEMENT IS UP

Titus Smith, a senior at Homewood High, said the law helps him stay on track. “I think the FOCUS Act is a good thing in terms of taking away distractions and limiting the time that teachers have to spend encouraging students to stay on task,” he said. “As many AP classes as I am taking, I cannot afford the distraction during instructional time.”

Parent Yawanna McDonald agrees. “Teachers no longer have to compete with social apps while trying to teach,” she said. “The potential benefit of having fewer distractions during school should help every student and educator throughout the state.”

Educators have noticed more natural conversation and connection. “I love to see my students talking to one another more and having real conversations rather than discussing what is on TikTok,” a Homewood teacher said. “I feel like I am able to have more conversations with students and engage with them more because they are not busy looking at their phones or social media.”

COMMUNICATION GAPS, PARENTAL CONCERNS

For all the benefits, parents say communication can be challenging under the new restrictions.

“Initially I had great concerns about the new law,” McDonald said. “I think most parents fear not being able to get in touch with their children during a crisis. I, too, have that fear — and it’s something we all have to work through.”

She added that routine coordination is also harder. “Not having a direct line of communication with children during school hours is a negative,” she said.

Titus has experienced that challenge firsthand. “The first day of school, I did not know if I had track practice, and if I didn’t, I would take my sister home from school,” he said. “When I learned that I did have practice, I was worried about my parents knowing in time that they needed to pick her up.”

To help, Homewood City Schools encourages families to use ParentSquare and StudentSquare instead of text messaging during school hours.

YOUNGER STUDENTS LESS AFFECTED

Middle schoolers and elementary students say the change hasn’t been dramatic. “It is really no different for me,” said Blakelee Feist, a sixth grader at Homewood Middle School. “Hall-Kent Elementary did not allow us to have cellphones either, so it just seems the same.”

Her sister Brantlee, a 10th grader, agreed: “We could never have our phones at the middle school before, so it does not really affect me now at the high school.”

Their mother, Britneylee Feist, said students have handled the transition well. “Homewood students really seem to obey the rules at school,” she said. “Both of my girls say that students are respecting the guidelines and not using banned devices during the instructional day.”

COPING WITHOUT CONNECTION

Some students say the adjustment to being phone-free all day has been challenging. Birmingham-based nonprofit College Admissions Made Possible is working to help.

“Our Brains and Screens curriculum,” Executive Director Michelle Hayes said, “uses social-emotional learning time to retrain the brain for focus, calm and connection in a screen-saturated world.”

CAMP’s Alabama Virtual Institute serves about 3,000 Alabama students daily with academic and wellness programming.

While programs like CAMP support the statewide transition, the change is playing out most clearly inside Homewood classrooms. “I think the FOCUS Act is a good thing in terms of taking away distractions,” Titus said. Under the law, he said, “teachers can teach, and students can learn — and that’s really the goal.”